A Fort Dodge woman was sentenced Monday in Webster County District Court to five years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree fraudulent practices.

Lynnette Ladd, 33, admitted to representing herself to be a veteran of the armed forces of the United States for the purpose of soliciting health care and compensation benefits from April 2012 through April 2013.

Ladd submitted false statements to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and fraudulently obtained free and/or subsidized healthcare benefits from the VA Medical Center located at 2419 Second Ave. N.

The total value of the VA benefits fraudulently obtained by the defendant was $9,431.91, which included inpatient services, outpatient services, and prescriptions.

Ladd has never served in the military and is not a veteran, and therefore was not eligible to receive VA benefits.

Fraudulent practices in the second degree is a Class D felony carrying a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison.

The state of Iowa was represented by First Assistant Webster County Attorney Jennifer Benson and the defendant was represented by Derek Johnson.

This case was investigated by the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.